DIY: Dreaming of brick walls

Dear readers,

I have been dreaming of brick walls since I first been on a vacation to Ireland. My host families´ house was built from brick, as were most of the other houses in their neighborhood. In the city centre of Dublin I saw more of these beautiful brick houses with the famous colorful doors. Blues, yellows, reds, looking so beautiful in combination with the colour of brick. 

A beautiful house in Salisbury, England. I love the colour of the door. I think it goes so well with the colour of the brick.

Only some years later, I went to Ireland again. That time I visited the countryside, spending some hours at the beautiful walled victorian garden at Kylemore Abbey. That´s when I realised, brick does not only look good with houses, but brick walls are the most wonderful backgrounds for plants. Is there a more romantic sight than a climbing rose climbing up an old brick wall? Here some examples in pictures:

Rosa Cecile Brünner at Treasurer´s House and Garden, England.

Rosa Zephirine Drouhin at Hever Castle, England.

Rosa Colcestria at Mottisfont Rose Garden, England.

Rose Garden Mottisfont Abbey, England.

Roses and brick at Sissinghurst Castle, England.

Roses and brick at Sissinghurst, England.

Not only does brick look lovely in combination with roses, but also with other plants.

Foxglove at Mompesson Garden, England.

Sweet peas at Mompesson Garden

As I am so in love with brick walls, you might imagine that I have long been wishing to have my       own brick wall. In summer 2017 when I moved to a new flat (my parent´s former flat), finally an opportunity to have my own brick wall came up. My flat´s terraces are divided from my neighbours´ terraces by greyish white walls. They look rather modern and I wished to have a more nostalgic background for my plants. And so I thought "Wouldn´t it look lovely if these walls were brick walls?" Once I had my brick wall idea, I couldn´ t put it out of my head any more. My parents were very unconvinced by my idea. My mum "But what if it does´t work and looks ugly in the end?!", my dad "It won´t work." No matter what they said, I had to try it. And so I started to make my own brick tiles from clay, fired them in the kiln and used some paint to make them look aged. I glued them to the wall and in the end grouted it. 

the self-made tiles

  

In the beginning

The result

snowdrops and brick

I had expected the project to be a lot of work, but not as much work as it finally turned out to be. It took me about two months. Luckily, the wall turned out the way I had imagined it and though it was a hell of work, it was worth it. I finally have my own brick wall! However, this is just one wall, and there are still three walls to go. What do you think? Do you like the wall? I can´t wait for spring and summer, when I can finally see roses and other plants climb up the wall! I´d love to know if you have some brick walls in your gardens and what you think about them?

Have a lovely day!

Best wishes,

Lisa